The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-10-18


some kindness still, and would have
explained the things against him
If he could but his wife took
an entirely opposite view of the matter.
and. could see, influenced her husband
by her representations She laughed
scornfully at the supposition that
Charley was, after all, innocent She
told her husband he had been shame
fully deceived and imposed upon by
my brave. upright lover; that she had
suspected all along that he was bestow-
ing his confidence and kindness on ono
who knew not how TO appreciate it
OF course. the poor seamstress was
not allowed to be any hindrance to
these talks. and Mrs. Lamont had q
fancy to overlook my sewing herself.
suspected that her husband kept her
On far shorter allowance of pocket
money than she expected when she
married him, and that was why she
kept such narrow watch upon me, and
saw that / diligently improved all the
time she paid for.
L could not help noticing that Mrs.
Lamont displayed singular rancor to-
wards Charley; and l could not help
feeling she would prefer having him
condemned than acquitted.
One day Mrs. Lamont sent me to her
wardrobe to bring dress that wanted
altering. 1t was not where she said;
and in seeking it. / exposed hanging
in a dark corner, some garments which
[ thought looked sadly out of place
among such a number of fine lady's
dresses. They were a suit of gentle
mems clothes-her husbands perhaps.
hung there by mistake. But, no! As
| had replaced the dress that hung over
them, L saw that there were broad gold
straps upon the shoulders of the coat,
and MIR. Lamont had never been i'm the
army.
L remembered what the cashier at
the bank had said about epaulets in
connection with the presenter of the
forged check; but should have thought
no more of it if had not met Mrs. La
mont at the door of her apartment.
coming to see what kept me. She
eyed ME narrowly, and asked why /
was so long.
81 could not find the Dress" 1 said.
and she seemed satisfied; but caught
her eyes fixed upon me with curious
expression several times that day. 1t
set me thinking. l wondered If Mrs.
Lamont had brother in the army, and
if that uniform belonged to him.
wondered what was i'm long. narrow
box which L had observed i'm an inside
pocket of the coat.
The next time 1 went to Mrs. La
mont's wardrobe for her, the lady was
in her room; but | contrived. when her
back was turned, to slip the cover of
that box just enough to peep inside.
1t contained pair of false whiskers so
ike Charley's. 1 should have thought
hem his, if l thought they would
come off,
/ thought more deeply than ever
after that; and one day. when Mrs. La
mont had gone out shopping, l tried
The door of her apartment. 1t was
ocked; of course L expected that. and
,aking from my pocket keys which i
lad procured for that purpose. tried
hem one after another until l found
,ne that would TT
Having obtained an entrance, L did
lot go to the wardrobe-I had seen
enough of that; 1 went to the lsdy's
Writing-desk-a dainty pearl and ebony
affair; it was a present from her hus-
band before their marriage.
1 had to search long time before / !
found what / wanted, and l was afraid |
every moment Mrs. Lamont might |
-eturn. But my search was rewarded |
1t length; and replacing every thing as !
had found it, without removing an !
article. turned to go.
Mr.. Lamont had returned home un-
and came up to his wife's :
apartment. He stood on the threshold, !
me with a stern and amazed /
Icaught at the back of I
. chair to sustain myself. for the room ,
began to whirl and my breath came in ,
,asps.
Now or neverr' thought /. ats !
or Charley"
sAIr. Lamont" said |, "wait a rno- !
nent, and hear who | am before you
Judge you"
He looked at me inquiringly.
Il am Charley Stanford's promised
wife. My business in Mrs. Lannon'S
apartments was to discover what sus-
oected l should find here-proofs of
his innocence of the crime laid to his
charge. / have found them"
Mr.. Lamont stared at me in = most !
amazed manner.
Young woman, are You aware of ,
what you are saying?'
For answer I opened the yritinr-